Kristaps Porziņģis expected to be traded to a new NBA team after the Boston Celtics’ 2024 championship run was followed by a first-round playoff exit and Jayson Tatum’s season-ending Achilles injury. What he didn’t expect was to land with the Atlanta Hawks.
The Celtics traded Porziņģis to the Hawks on July 7 as part of a three-team deal with the Brooklyn Nets. Boston received Georges Niang, while the Hawks sent Terance Mann and Drake Powell to Brooklyn. It marked the fourth team change of Porziņģis’ career.
“After the season, I spoke to my agent and kind of expected that one or more of us would be traded,” Porziņģis told Sports Studija. “For a while, I thought I might end up with the Spurs, but then Atlanta came in—and that was a nice surprise. It was out of my hands.”
A New Role in a Lower-Pressure Setting
Porziņģis enters the final year of his contract at $30.7 million, joining a Hawks core that includes Trae Young, Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, and top pick Zaccharie Risacher. Atlanta missed the playoffs in each of the last two seasons and hasn’t won a postseason series since the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals.
“I think expectations are high,” Porziņģis said. “Atlanta’s been on the edge of the playoffs the last few years, sometimes getting through the first round. It’s a great situation for me to come in and contribute. Maybe even better than Boston, where it was championship or bust.”
The 7-foot-3 forward averaged 19.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 42 games for Boston last season while shooting 48.3% from the field, 41.2% from 3, and 80.9% from the line. He was a consistent scoring option and shot blocker, helping the Celtics capture the 2024 NBA title over the Dallas Mavericks.
Porziņģis believes the move to Atlanta presents a different kind of opportunity—one where he can thrive without the immense expectations that followed him in Boston.
“Here, the pressure isn’t the same—it’s easier to exceed expectations,” he said. “That’s a better position to be in. It’s in our hands now, and I think we can surprise some people in the East.”
San Antonio Spurs Pivot to Kornet After Missing Out
Porziņģis wasn’t alone in expecting a trade to San Antonio, where speculation swirled around a potential pairing with Victor Wembanyama. While that scenario never materialized, the Spurs later signed former Celtics big man Luke Kornet to a four-year, $41 million deal.
Kornet brings rim protection and floor spacing to San Antonio’s frontcourt, potentially allowing Jeremy Sochan to return to his more natural forward position. He and Wembanyama now form one of the NBA’s tallest and most defensively versatile interior duos.
However, for Porziņģis, the destination is now clear, and the focus shifts to helping Atlanta return to the playoffs.